Bloodshot Records is offering a free download of Alejandro Escovedo’s version of The Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes” in remembrance of Lou Reed. Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: A Life, was interviewed on NPR. Listen here. Robbie Fulks is the American Songwriter Writer of the Week. Loretta Lynn has postponed her Iowa tour dates; she’s […]

The idiots that call themselves the Westboro Baptist Church are taking on Taylor Swift. A tour bus owned by Toby Keith crashed and burned on an Indiana turnpike. Keith was not on board, and no injuries were reported. David Israelite, President and CEO of the National Music Publishers Association, released a statement directed to Pandora […]

Songwriter and comedian Don Bowman passed away on Wednesday at the age of 75. (h/t Janice Brooks) Earlier this week, a plaque was placed at Nashville’s Woodlawn Cemetery to announce the forthcoming construction of a George Jones monument. CMT posted My Darling Clementine’s Possum tribute, “The Gospel According to George.” The Defibulators’ new video premiered […]

Nominations for the fan-voted 2013 CMT Awards were announced yesterday. Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, and Florida Georgia Line received three nominations each, while Hunter Hayes, Kacey Musgraves and, uh, Journey are among those nominated for two awards. Read the full list of nominations and cast your votes here. The Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver […]

The new Brad Paisley-LL Cool J collaboration, “Accidental Racist,” blew up across the internet yesterday afternoon. Here’s a USA Today interview with Paisley as well (warning: autoplay). Sunday night’s ACM Awards were watched by 15.38 million viewers, the highest ratings these awards have seen since 1998. The Avett Brothers will headline the 2013 Newport Folk Festival. Iris […]

The Academy of Country Music announced the recipients of some special and industry awards prior to the April 7 broadcast. Some of the winners include: Keith Whitley and the Judds – Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award (honoring music acts that are pioneers in the country music genre) Jason Aldean – Crystal Milestone Award (honoring a significant […]

The Hank Williams Estate “is making over 200 live performance recordings directly available to movie houses, television production companies, and advertising agencies, where before these rare live recordings had never been accessible for licensing directly from the Estate.” Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s seminal 1972 album, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, was remastered from the original […]

Watch the trailer for Muscle Shoals, a new documentary from director Greg “Freddy” Camalier. (warning: autoplay) Here’s another gem from UNC’s Southern Folklife Collection: Maybelle Carter talking about the autoharp with Archie Green and A. Doyle Moore and playing a bit in a recording made at Earl Scruggs’ house in 1962. Kris Kristofferson talks about […]

Kellie Pickler embarked on her sixth USO Tour, entertaining service members in Afghanistan and aboard the USS John C. Stennis. Songs by Jerry Lee Lewis, Tom T. Hall, and Alejandro Escovedo made The A.V. Club’s list of “14 panicky works about growing older.” Vince Gill shows off his guitars in this video for Musician’s Friend. […]

Carrie Underwood will star as Maria von Trapp in an upcoming live NBC broadcast of The Sound of Music. The show will air in late 2013. Actor Wilford Brimley joined Riders in the Sky for an Opry performance. Marty Stuart will celebrate 20 years of Opry membership on Saturday: Stuart will be celebrated during a one-hour […]